The Avatar Returns
by Soldier78
Summary: Sheng is the only known Avatar after Avatar Aang, with Ozai's Loyalists avenging Fire Lord Ozai, Sheng must complete the same mission her past life has done before. Summary sucks but the story is better! Please review!
1. Prologue

The Avatar Returns

Prologue

_Many years past ever since Avatar Aang and his team defeated the Fire Lord and his forces, Avatar Aang and his friends lived a peaceful and prosperous life. When Avatar Aang died, many mourned and then waited for the next Avatar, but it never came. _

_As many years past since Avatar Aang's death, the knowledge and hope for a new Avatar was forgotten and once again, War has begun. Because of the Avatar's disappearance, The Fire Nation started a civil war, one side wanted to avenge ex-Fire Lord Ozai by over throwing the current Fire Lord and his government. As many years passed, finally the Fire Nation's peaceful government was overthrown and the Fire Lord was assassinated as well as his high ranking officials. The leader of Ozai's Avengers, or also called Loyalists, declared himself the Fire Lord of the new Fire Nation, one that will, instead of living peacefully, destroy and avenge what former Fire Lord Ozai wanted to accomplish many centuries before, taking over the whole world. _

_Now, with the Fire Nation starting up war and hatred once again, and there is now someone who must stop it. _

_Who is this one? And is she the Avatar everyone was expecting?_


	2. Sheng

The Avatar Returns

Ch.1: Sheng

The girl bid her customer a farewell and the satisfied man left.

"Have a nice day" the girl greeted. The man walked out with a smile and a boy stopped at the front door, he allowed the man to go out first and the man nodded his thanks and the boy jogged in.

"Hey Sheng" the boy greeted. Sheng looked at him.

"Hey Hahn" Sheng replied.

Hahn, a boy with dark blue eyes, tan skin and short black hair, was a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe and Sheng's best friend. He recently moved from the tribe to the Earth Kingdom, or more specifically Ba Sing Se, because his father was a member of the Earth King's government. Hahn wore traditional water tribe attire.

Sheng, a girl with gray eyes, short brown hair and arrows on her forehead, arms and legs, grew up in the Western Air Temple but recently sided in Ba Sing Se and got a job at the local general store in the Lower Ring. Sheng was a master airbender, hence her tattoos. Sheng was dressed in traditional youth Air Nomad apparel.

Hahn and Sheng would make the perfect couple as many who lived in the Lower Ring would say. Hahn and Sheng would just shrug it off, saying they were just friends and nothing more.

"So you up for a sparring session today Master Airbender?" Hahn questioned, taking an apple from one of the nearby stands and biting into it. Sheng rolled her eyes at her friend's action.

"I would," Sheng said. "But I don't know if the Boss would let me take a break"

"Sure I would," came a voice. Sheng and Hahn turned and saw the Boss man walking towards him. Hahn hid the apple behind his back, Sheng laughed then looked at his boss.

"You would?" Sheng asked.

"Do you really think I'd let a 15 year old girl be cooped up here all day?" the boss asked. "It's a beautiful day, why don't you and your friend take some time off today. I'll take care of the shop"

"Really?" Sheng asked, hopefully. The man nodded.

"Now get going you two," the boss said. The boss looked at Hahn and pointed to him. "But you need to pay for that apple you took"

"Huh?" Hahn asked, pretending not to know what he is talking about. Sheng rolled her eyes, taking a copper piece from her pocket and handing it over to the boss. She hoisted herself over the counter and then landed right next to Hahn.

"Well what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Sheng asked him in a playful matter. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the shop. Hahn laughed at his best friend's fun-loving behavior, he could also hear the bubbling laughter of the boss.

Hahn and Sheng faced each other in the park's sparring center. They both got into stances and gave each other that gleam that told them they were ready. Hahn attacked first, sending a blast of water out of the park's pond. Sheng dodged it by jumping over it using airbending, she landed on her feet before using her arms to create a ball of air, she shot the air at Hahn and he was knocked to the ground. Sheng smirked as Hahn got himself up, he sent a ball of water at her. It caught her by surprise and very soon froze Sheng on the spot, however, his plan backfired when Sheng jumped over the incoming ice and used airbending to knock Hahn back onto the ground. Sheng landed on the ground and waited for Hahn to get up.

After an hour of exchanging attacks and fast defense, Hahn called in quits once he found himself on the ground, backside down, staring up at his friend who extended a hand.

"I let you win" the boy claimed as he took his best friend's hand and pulled himself up to his feet. Sheng laughed and gave her friend a pat on the back.

"We'll see next time" Sheng said.

"Is that a challenge?" Hahn questioned her, raising a brow.

"Only if you want it to be" Sheng assured. "It's fun kicking your butt"

Hahn shot her a playful glare which Sheng just shrugged off. The two loitered around the Lower Ring until the sun was setting, they walked passed merchants and artisans, the Lower Ring was very lively and was more interesting than the Middle Ring and the Upper Ring put together.

Sheng always enjoyed staying in Lower Ring, there were times where she traveled everywhere also but ever since the Loyalist War began, she's been staying in Ba Sing Se for safety. She still travels back to the temples to visit her male friends in the Southern and Northern Air Temple and some of the families in the Eastern Temple but she makes sure she visits her home at the Western Air Temple.

The night soon came and Hahn walked Sheng to her apartment in the Lower Ring. Once Sheng stood outside her apartment door, she turned to Hahn and smiled.

"Thanks for the day off Hahn" she told him.

"Ah," Hahn said, waving it off. "It was no problem"

Sheng placed a firm hand on her friend's shoulder and leaned over, placing her lips on his cheek. She pulled back and walked inside, leaving a stunned Hahn, standing there with a dreamy gleam in his eyes as well as a dreamy smile.

To be continued.


	3. Sheng's Visit

The Avatar Returns

Ch.2: Sheng's Visit

"And you want me to go why?" Hahn asked. Sheng airbended her bag up to her bison's saddle.

"Because," Sheng said with a shrug. "I want company on my ride to the Temple"

"Last time I checked, I'm not an airbender" Hahn said.

"I'm not a waterbender and I travelled with you to your tribe" Sheng fought.

"That was because visitors are welcomed" Hahn reminded.

"And visitors are welcomed at my home," Sheng said. "What? Are you scared?"

Hahn rolled his eyes at his friend's taunting tone.

"No, I'm not" Hahn said.

"Then come along" Sheng told him. Hahn thought for a moment, he shrugged.

"Eh," he said. "I got nothing to lose"

Sheng smiled as she airbended herself onto her sky bison's head and Hahn clambered into the saddle. Sheng lifted the reins and with a flick her wrist and her command, the bison sprang into the air and soared the skies.

Hahn rested his back against the end of the saddle, he stared at the clouds, his arms folded across his chest. He was pretty bored, he groaned. Sheng looked over her shoulder and saw the boy staring at the clouds. She smiled fondly at the bored boy and turned her attention to steering.

After eight hours of flight, Hahn and Sheng agreed to find a clearing to rest for the night. After landing, and freaking Hahn out from the turbulent descend, Hahn fell onto his back and gave a grateful sigh. Sheng rolled her eyes as she pulled out Hahn's canteen. She tossed it over to him, it landed on his stomach and he gave a startled jerk and saw what was resting on his stomach.

"I'll get the firewood" Sheng told him. "You get some water.

"Okay Mom" Hahn joked as Sheng rolled her eyes and strode into the forest. Hahn rolled up into a sitting position, his arm draped over his bent knee. He smiled at his friend disappearing into the dark forest.

Sheng returned about 15 minutes later with an armful of wood. Hahn returned just at the same time with a canteen full of fresh water from the nearby stream. Sheng began to make the fire, she rubbed two sticks together, concentrating on a spark flying out into the wood pile. It took her a few minutes but she finally managed to spark up a fire. She smiled proudly at her work and tossed the two sticks in to help keep the fire going. She stood up and strode over to Hahn who was already examining a map. He had a hand to his chin, thinking deeply.

"Hahn, we don't need a map" Sheng said as she rolled her eyes. "I know where we're going"

"Oh so then where are we?" Hahn questioned. Sheng froze for a moment, earning a snicker from Hahn.

"Well do you know?" Sheng threw back, smirking.

"We're right here, near the tip of the Earth Kingdom" Hahn said. "One day's worth of travel and you'll be home"

Sheng smiled and nodded.

Later that night, the two teens went to sleep, a good distance away from each other. They weren't touching but they were close enough to know they were both in reach of each other in case of emergency, this arrangement was created a habit over the months they traveled together.

When the morning came, Sheng and Hahn found themselves packing up the camp, putting out the fire, of course with Hahn's waterbending, and Sheng saddling her sky bison, Anji, up. Hahn climbed up on Anji and Sheng airbended herself onto her head and soon commanded Anji to take flight.

Sheng focused her eyes onto the horizon, the air was still nice and humid considering the temple was located near the Fire Nation. Sheng took in her surroundings and realized they were already here. She landed on a cliff overlooking a narrow river miles below. Hahn looked around.

"Where's the temple?" he questioned.

"Underground" she proclaimed.

"Underground?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sheng said, flicking Anji's reins again. The bison took off and descended, landing in the courtyard of the temple. Little kids came running out.

"Shengy!"

Sheng looked around as she jumped down. Hahn following after. The kids ran and a couple of them hugged her legs. Hahn laughed.

"Good with kids aren't you?" Hahn questioned. Sheng laughed and she greeted the little airbenders. A nun came up, Sheng looked up. Sheng lifted her arms, pressing her fist into her other hand's palm and bowing.

"Master," she greeted with much respect.

"Young Sheng," she greeted, bowing in return. Sheng rushed to her master's arms and hugged her. "It is so great to see you"

Sheng let go of her and smiled.

"I see you have grown up," the nun claimed, placing a hand on the girl's head. The nun noticed Hahn's appearance. She removed her hand from Sheng's head. "And who is our new friend?"

"Master Jin, this is my friend from the Southern Water Tribe, Hahn" Sheng introduced. "Hahn this is my airbending teacher, Jin"

Hahn bowed in respect.

"It is an honor to meet you" he said.

"Well aren't you a polite young man," Jin stated with a wide smile. Hahn looked up and smiled, blushing a bit. "Come you must get yourself settled in"

Sheng smiled as she followed the nun further into the depths of the temple. Sheng walked to her room and Jin led Hahn to a guest room further down the halls. Sheng closed her door and set down her bag, before joining her airbending friends in the temple.

The airbenders were found in one of the training rooms, practicing an old move that Sheng learned from the past. The Air Scooter.

One girl was struggling in tremendously, another girl was riding on it, laughing with boastfulness and pride. Sheng hoped he lose his balance and fall. Everyone noticed Sheng's appearance.

"Sheng!" they all yelped, they all ran to her at airbender's speeds. Sheng laughed as she hugged each and every one. They kept asking her questions and Sheng tried to get them to all ask one question at a time.

"What was the most recent place you visited?"

"Are you still friends with that waterbender?"

"Do you still live in Ba Sing Se?"

So many questions, Sheng smiled and answered every single of them.

"Ba Sing Se, yes and yes" Sheng answered met with a bubbling laughter.

"I heard your turning 16 Sheng, is that why you're here?" asked one of her friends.

"Yup, the Nuns wanted me to come over for my 16th birthday" Sheng said. "To celebrate with all of you"

They all hooted in laughter and Sheng smiled.

"Hey Sheng can you show us that scooter trick you learned?" asked one of many. It was met with everyone encouraging her to do so. Sheng smiled and swung her arms around in a circle, creating a ball of air and then hopping upon it. She rode it passed them, weaving in and out of the group. The door creaked open and Sheng slammed into the visitor. They both slammed to the ground, Sheng landing on top of the victim. She rose herself off the man, and realized it was Hahn, she blushed a deep crimson and she heard a few 'oohs' and followed by several comments on how they look cute together.

"Sorry Hahn," Sheng said, airbending herself up and reaching out a hand to her fallen friend. Hahn took it.

"No problem" Hahn stated as he tugged on Sheng's hand to get himself to stand upright. He looked at the girls, all of them looking at him with dreamy smiles. Hahn raised a brow, he looked at his friend with the brow still raised high in confusion."Why are they looking at me?"

"Maybe because they never seen a waterbender before?" Sheng asked with a shrug and a still heated blush. Hahn found himself blush a little bit. Sheng took Hahn's hand and pulled him out of the room. "I'll show you around"

Hahn glanced back at the girls but then shrugged it off with his trademark smile.

To be continued.


	4. What?

The Avatar Returns

Ch.3: What?

Sheng's birthday came, there was a huge celebration in her honor. There was a magnificent feast, the traditional blessings and vows taken every year on her birthday and there was the fun.

Hahn and Sheng were demonstrating to the little kids, one of their infamous sparring sessions. Half of the room rooted for Sheng and the other half, seeing they never seen a waterbender before, rooted for Hahn. It made the competition…more exciting.

That was until, the Elder Nuns came into the room, which turned things into interesting instead of excitement.

"Sheng," one of the four nuns said, bowing. "We must speak with you in private"

Sheng looked at her friend, then at the little kids who were pretty confused themselves. Sheng nodded and followed them, she had no clue what this was about. All she was afraid of was her getting in some sort of trouble, but she recalled having hardly any accounts of trouble caused by her.

They led Sheng into the Council Room where the Nuns would gather to talk about politics and other such matters. They sat down on their cushions and ordered Sheng to sit down. She did, sitting with her legs crossed and her arms resting against the sides of her legs. She looked at them.

"Why am I here?" Sheng asked. "Am I in trouble?"

"No you are not," said a Nun after a bit of a chuckle from her. "Young airbender"

Another nun pulled out something behind her back, it looked like a wrap parcel. She airbended it to her and Sheng looked at it as it opened before her. It was toys, very familiar to her. Sheng picked one up and studied it.

"These are toys from each of the Four Nations, or more precisely Avatar Relics" described the main Nun. Sheng set that toy down and picked up the other.

"I remember these" Sheng said, she pulled the string to a top and the top spun away. She smiled but then set it back down to look at the nuns.

"You choose these toys out of many other toys when you were little" the Nun explained. Sheng was still confused, was this the reason why she was here?

"Young airbender, tell me," the nun said. "Do you remember the last known Avatar?"

"Well yeah," Sheng said, still perplexed. "Wasn't his name Avatar Aang or something like that?"

"Avatar Aang is correct," the Nun said. "Do you remember what he was famous for?"

"For stopping the Hundred Year War?" Sheng asked, she nodded.

"And repopulating our nation" another one concluded.

"Look, I don't even want to know that story" Sheng responded.

"Sheng there hasn't been a known avatar in centuries" the Nun said. "Until now"

"Now?" Sheng questioned. "Who is it?"

"It is you, Avatar Sheng" the Nun announced. Sheng's eyes went wide, her mouth dropped, her heart sank and emotions began to kick in, ones she's never even felt before.

"What?" Sheng asked, stunned and shocked.

"You are the Avatar, Sheng" the nun clarified. "And it is time you learn to be one"

Sheng halfway closed her eyes, staring at the ground. She felt afraid, shocked and confused.

"The world is in chaos Avatar," the nun piped. "We need you to stop it before there is another long war just like the Hundred Year War"

"Sheng?" came her teacher's voice. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine" Sheng lied. She looked up at the nuns. "Can I please be excused?"

The nuns nodded, Sheng got up and slowly trudged away. Master Jin frowned at the heartbreaking sight.

Hahn found his friend sitting at the Cliffside, way back in the temple. He noticed her frowning and that she was filled with mixed emotions. He, being the best friend he was, walked over to her and plopped down next to her.

"You alright Sheng?" he asked, concerned. Sheng didn't bother to look at him. "What's wrong? Come on, you can't be…depressed, not on your 16th birthday"

"I know why they wanted me here" Sheng finally spoke up, still staring at the fog below them that covered the stream.

"Well why?" Hahn asked. Sheng looked up at him.

"Because I'm the Avatar" she told him.

"What?" Hahn said. "That can't be possible"

"It is, Hahn." Sheng told him.

"How'd they find out?" Hahn asked her.

"The toys I picked when I was very little, each one of them belonged to the Avatars, my past lives"

"Wow," Hahn said, looking onwards, processing everything his friend said. He gave a laugh and then looked at her. "That's great!"

"They want me to go, learn the other three elements and stop the war going on" Sheng said.

"Just like that last known avatar, what was his name?" Hahn chimed. "Avatar Fang?"

"Aang" Sheng answered with bit of a smile. She looked away. Hahn placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll help you" he told her. Sheng looked at him. "I'll go along with you and help you with all of this"

"Are you sure?" Sheng asked. Hahn stood up, he held out a hand and Sheng hesitantly took it, Hahn pulled her up.

"Yeah," he said. "What's the first element you have to learn?"

"Well," Sheng said, looking down slightly. "The next element in the Avatar Cycle is water right?"

"That seems correct" Hahn assured.

"Then that's my first element" Sheng said.

"That's great!" he said. "And I know a master who can teach you!"

"Who?" Sheng asked.

"My master, Master Maku" Hahn told her. "He's a great master"

"You think he would want to teach me?" Sheng asked.

"You're the Avatar, aren't you?" Hahn asked. Sheng smiled. "Then of course he would"

"Thanks Hahn" Sheng said. Hahn gave her an affectionate pat on her back and smiled.

"No problem, Sheng" Hahn said, grinning like an idiot as they headed back to where the main action was going on.

To be continued.


End file.
